National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
The House of Representatives has passed a bill for second reading that seeks to bar individuals above 60 years from contesting for the offices of President and Governor in Nigeria.
Sponsored by Rep. Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, the bill proposes amendments to the 1999 Constitution to revise eligibility requirements for these key political positions.
According to the bill, presidential and gubernatorial candidates must not be older than 60 years at the time of contesting.
Additionally, candidates must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree in their chosen field of study.
The bill specifically amends Section 131 of the constitution to introduce the age limit for the presidency and Section 177 to apply the same requirement to gubernatorial candidates.
This development has sparked interest, as it would affect prominent politicians like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi, who are all above 60 years old.
If passed into law, the bill would significantly alter the landscape of Nigerian politics.
In addition to the age limit bill, the House passed several other important bills for second reading.
These include the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Bill, which seeks to upgrade Alvan Ikoku College of Education in Imo State to a federal university.
Another bill, sponsored by Rep. Ugochinyere, aims to ensure inclusivity in governance by reserving positions for young people and persons with disabilities.
Other bills passed for second reading include the Reserved Seats for Women in National and State Assemblies Bill, which seeks to increase female representation in legislative bodies.
The House also passed judicial reform bills, including proposals to expedite judicial processes and increase the number of justices in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
